# Maine LD 1042: An Act to Require a Person Operating a Watercraft for Recreational Purposes to Ensure All Children Under 13 Years of Age Wear United States Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Devices Maine LD 1042, An Act to Require a Person Operating a Watercraft for Recreational Purposes to Ensure All Children Under 13 Years of Age Wear United States Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Devices, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Allison Hepler (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-05-29 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 148); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1042-132 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maine LD 1042 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Require a Person Operating a Watercraft for Recreational Purposes to Ensure All Children Under 13 Years of Age Wear United States Coast Guard Approved Personal Flotation Devices - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-03-12 - Last action: 2025-05-29, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 148 - Sponsor: Allison Hepler (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: RECREATION, RECREATION - WATERCRAFT - Touches household money: yes - Economic provisions PRIA read: 1 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Boaters must make kids wear life jackets: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, if you operate a recreational boat in Maine and a child under 13 is aboard, you must make the child wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket while the boat is moving. This applies even if the child is the operator. It does not apply when the child is below deck or in… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Allison Hepler (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Holly Sargent (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: James Dill (Democratic), House ## Actions (9) - 2025-05-29: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 148 - 2025-05-27: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-27: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-05-22: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-233) READ and ADOPTED, in concurrence.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-233), in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate) - 2025-05-22: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-233).Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-03-21: Carried over, in the same posture, to the next special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, pursuant to Joint Order SP 519. (House) - 2025-03-20: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.On motion by Senator Tepler of Sagadahoc for the Committee on Marine Resources REFERRED to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Report of the Chair-Pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2Representative HEPLER from the Committee on MARINE RESOURCES Reports a recommendation for a CHANGE OF COMMITEE.Report was READ and ACCEPTED.On motion of Representative HEPLER, the Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE.Sent for concurrence. (House) - 2025-03-12: Received by the Clerk of the House on March 12, 2025.The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on MARINE RESOURCES pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401. (House) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (H-233), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=1&snum=132) ## Related bills - LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed) - LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed) - LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed) - LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed) - LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed) - LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed) ## Sources - [Amendment C-A (H-233), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP0671&item=1&snum=132) ## Related - [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132) - [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132) - [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132) - [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132) - [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132) - [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132) - [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills) - [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1042-132 (as of 2026-10-17).